Reverse Psychology
by violets92
Summary: PostBloodbath. Abbycentric. Gabby if you REALLY want it to be.


Abby took another swig from the bottle of bourbon that now sat quivering dangerously on the edge of the frame of Gibbs' boat. She continued to sand the pieces of wood mindlessly as her head continued conjuring up images of Mikel. She obviously wasn't drunk enough yet for them to vanish. _How_ she wasn't drunk enough was beyond Abby. That bourbon could have passed for turpentine. The only reason she had considered it wasn't paint stripper was because…well, she hadn't really considered anything. She'd just grabbed it and downed about ten mouthfuls of the stuff hoping to forget the recent events surrounding her.

How the hell had everything become so screwed up? Abby's mind flashed a picture of a graveyard and Mikel at the question. She began to sand the already smooth wood harder. It was all her fault. It had to be. There was no other logical explanation for it. She had dated him. She had broken it off. She should have known he was the stalkerish type. After all, she _did _pick him up in a cemetery.

"You need to sleep Abby." The gruff voice of Gibbs barely penetrated her guilt-ridden thoughts as he switched on the small fluorescent light.

"I know, I tried, every time I close my eyes I see Mikel." Her reply was flat. She was so wrapped up in her own drunken thoughts that she barely registered Gibbs' hand on hers, guiding her unskilled arm. As soon as he'd let go, she ceased working on the boat.

"Now I don't understand why people drink alcohol when they're depressed, because alcohol is a depressant. Now I'm so depressed, and I'm nauseous and really drunk, which means that tomorrow I have to go fight a hangover while I'm in court while some ambulance-chasing attorney tries to attack my credibility. What is wrong with me Gibbs? What did I do to deserve this?"

It sounded like a speech she'd expect from a drunken taxi driver on a really slow night. She vaguely heard Gibbs say something along the lines of it not being about her. Of course it was about her! Mikel was stalking _her_. Not anyone else.

"Then why do I feel so guilty?" She did. Of course, it might have just been the alcohol speaking, but Abby doubted it.

"I don't know. Why do you?" Gibbs sat like a psychologist on the edge of his boat. It was ironic, considering the man hated psychology with a passion.

"Because…I think this might all be my fault." She didn't just _think_ it. She knew it.

"Maybe it is." Abby knew Gibbs was probably just using reverse psychology, but for some reason, the three words still struck a nerve. He wasn't meant to think it was her fault! He was meant to stick up for her, make Mikel look like an idiot.

"How could you say that to me Gibbs? I didn't do anything wrong. Just because some defective lunatic can't get it through his thick skull that I think he is a…defective lunatic, that is not my fault Gibbs! That is _not_ my fault at _all_." Abby stood up, a strange feeling of liberation overtaking her. "It's not my fault. It is not my fault" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gibbs give a small smile.

She knew it.

Reverse psychology.

That _bastard_.

In her moment of annoyance with Gibbs, she took her anger out on his boat and accidentally sliced a bit of wood out of the frame. Gibbs sat for a second trying to restrain himself. He then wordlessly signalled for the tools.

"Suddenly having a stalker on the loose doesn't seem so scary." She swore she saw Gibbs grin.

"He's not on the loose, Abby. That's what I came down here to tell you. DiNozzo called, the coast guard picked up Mikel Mawher...trying to cross the Anacostia." Abby's eyes widened.

They'd caught him? They'd actually _got him_? The news, as well received as it was, did not comfort Abby hugely. There was no way Mikel would allow himself to get put away for good. He'd find some other loophole in the tarnished legal system. Abby knew him. Unfortunately, she knew him far too well.

* * *

Abby arrived back at her empty lab. It seemed so deserted. There was no music, no machines running. It was just her and her Caf-Pow. Somehow, Abby found it more refreshing than she should have. There was no need to carry around a taser gun anymore. Mikel was gone. Gibbs went straight into interrogation. She really, really hoped he didn't have a baseball bat. 

"Hey Abs." Abby jumped as a warm hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Gibbs! Geez, how many times have I told you? Don't ever sneak up on me like that." She took a couple of breaths and a sip of her Caf-Pow to calm down.

"How many times have I told you that I don't take orders?" He smirked.

"It's not an order Gibbs; it's a request…from your forensic scientist." She rolled her eyes and took another gulp of her Caf-Pow. Gibbs shrugged and said nothing.

"So what did Mikel say in interrogation?" Abby asked, after realising she wasn't going to get a reply from her previous statement.

"That's for me to know and you not to find out." Gibbs avoided all eye contact and looked at the black, inactive screen in front of him.

"Come on Gibbs! Just tell me. I'm sure it's not _that _bad." She smiled reassuringly but the stony look on Gibbs' face said he wasn't going to tell.

"No Abs. I'm not saying anything. And before you say it…I told the sound guy not to show the tape to anybody but the courts." Abby's shoulders dropped. There was no way the sound guy would let up. He was worse than McGee when it came to obeying people.

"Why won't you just tell me Gibbs?"

"You don't need to know Abby! It wouldn't help you any forensically." He turned away and began to walk out. Abby stopped him.

"Is that all I am to you Gibbs? Just a forensic scientist?" She was almost yelling. "He was _my_ boyfriend! He was stalking _me_! I deserve to know what's going on outside the forensics, Gibbs." Her boss turned around wordlessly and walked back to face her.

"Abs, you know you're more than a forensic expert to me. You shouldn't even need to ask."

"Then why won't you-"

"Because you don't _need to know_ Abs. It wouldn't do you any good." Abby rolled her eyes.

"What…did you beat him up or something?" Gibbs smirked.

"No, but I wasn't far from it." Abby laughed.

"Please Gibbs?"

"No."

"Fine!" She turned around so that her back was to him, pretending to sulk.

"You know that doesn't work anymore Abs." Gibbs smiled as she turned around, shrugged and took another gulp of Caf-Pow.

"Okay, fine. I'll give up trying to find out."

"Thankyou."

"Can I just ask one question though?" Gibbs looked at her sceptically, but sighed in resignation.

"Go ahead."

"Is he at least going to leave me alone now?" Abby was immediately enveloped in a very warm hug.

"You bet it Abs." Gibbs placed a soft kiss in her hair and she smiled.

She knew the second "b" wasn't for bastard.


End file.
